How to do a Cable Wood Chop
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Cable Wood Chop
Workouts with Cable Wood Chop
Instructions for Proper Form
The Cable Wood Chop is a compound, rotational exercise targeting the obliques and core, enhancing rotational strength and stability. It mimics real-life movement patterns, beneficial for functional strength and improving athletic performance. The cable system ensures constant tension, making it more challenging than free-weight alternatives.
- Place the pulleys to it’s highest position and attach a handle.
- Stand upright with your right side facing the pulley and feet shoulder-width apart.
- Clasp your hands around the handle with your left arm reaching across your body and slightly rotating your left hip towards the pulley and pivoting on your left forefoot.
- Keep your core braced to maintain a neutral spine as you and with extended arms, Rotate the handle across your body to the outside knee while slightly hinging your hips backwards.
- Controllable return back to the starting position
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Alternative Exercises to Cable Wood Chop
1. Ab Crunch Machine
96.1 mSCORESWAPPED 1,080 TIMESAb Crunch Machine is a variation of Crunches performed with a machine. Unlike standard Crunches, the use of a machine gives you more control over your resistance. In addition, the machine will restrict your range of motion allowing you to focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement.
- Intermediate
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2. Crunches
94 mSCORESWAPPED 988 TIMESCrunches are one of the most common exercises out there. It’s an easy to perform, bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. Crunches are very similar to Sit Ups, however, instead of raising your upper body all the way into a near sitting position, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to build core strength.
- Beginner
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3. Russian Twist
96.2 mSCORESWAPPED 859 TIMESRussian Twist is one of the more common core exercises. This exercise targets multiple muscles in your core, but the reason for including this exercise is usually to target your obliques. By raising your feet off the ground, engaging your core, and twisting to each side, you can better target this specific muscle in your core.
- Beginner
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4. Cable Crunch
88.8 mSCORESWAPPED 857 TIMESCable Crunch is a variation on the more standard Crunch. Unlike Crunches, this is a weighted exercise that does not have you laying on your back. Instead of using your bodyweight for resistance, you use a cable machine. This gives you more control over your resistance, as well as more control over the direction that resistance is coming from.
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5. Plank
92.8 mSCORESWAPPED 799 TIMESPlanks are one of the most common core exercises out there. This is a bodyweight exercise that is performed for time rather than reps. Planks don’t require any movement, instead they force you to place yourself in a position that requires you to engage your core, and maintain that muscle activation for the duration of the exercise. This is a great way to help build strength and stability in a way that will translate to a variety of other exercises, and your daily life.
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6. Leg Raise
96.5 mSCORESWAPPED 671 TIMESLeg Raise is a simple bodyweight core exercise that involves laying on the ground and suspending your legs in the air. While your core does play a significant role in raising your legs, the real benefit comes from controlling their descent back to the floor.
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7. Bicycle Crunch
91.8 mSCORESWAPPED 653 TIMESBicycle Crunch is a more difficult version of a standard crunch. Instead of raising your torso off the ground for each rep, you keep your torso off the ground, and your core engaged. By cycling your legs, you add more instability to the movement, which leads to better core activation.
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8. Dumbbell Side Bend
38.8 mSCORESWAPPED 544 TIMESDumbbell Side Bend is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the obliques. The use of a dumbbell adds resistance to the movement, helping to build muscle mass and strength in your sides. This is a simple exercise that aids in improving core stability and can be easily incorporated into any abdominal workout routine.
9. Jackknife Sit-Up
60.8 mSCORESWAPPED 424 TIMESJackknife Sit-Up is a combination of a Sit Up and a Leg Pull-In. Like the other two exercises, this is a bodyweight core exercise that offers the benefits of both. It’s very similar to a Cocoon Crunch, however, you’ll be raising your entire torso off the ground, rather than just your shoulder blades. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to add some extra challenge to their core workout.
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